Booktrust has announced that over two million free books will be given to every reception-aged pupil and Year 7 pupil in England by Christmas 2008.
The Booktime programme for reception-aged pupils (4-5 years old) and Booked Up programme for Year 7 pupils (aged 11-12), are both run by the independent national charity Booktrust, with the aim of encouraging reading for pleasure. The programmes are supported by the DCSF (Department for Children, Schools and Families) with an allocation of over £4m, making both programmes free to all participating schools.
The Booktime programme, which is run in association with education and publishing company Pearson, will this year give a copy of Harry and the Dinosaurs go to School by Ian Whybrow, illustrated by Adrian Reynolds. The packs will also contain a guidance booklet for parents and carers to encourage sharing books with children.
For the first time, free poetry anthologies will be given to both age groups in England. Reception-aged pupils will get a special abridged edition of The Puffin Book of Fantastic First Poems, while Year 7 pupils will be able to choose a copy of Read Me and Laugh: A Funny Poem for Every Day of the Year (Macmillan).
The Booked Up programme allows each child to make their own choice of book from a selection of 12 titles. The programme encourages Year 7 pupils to read independently and aims to maintain the development of reading levels between Years 6 and 7 as children make the difficult transition from primary to secondary education.
The new Booked Up book list:
Arctic Hero - Catherine Johnson (Barrington Stoke)
Heartbeat - Sharon Creech (Bloomsbury)
H.I.V.E. - Mark Walden (Bloomsbury)
Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy (HarperCollins Children's Books)
The Garbage King - Elizabeth Laird (Macmillan Children's Books)
The Black Book of Secrets - FE Higgins (Macmillan Children's Books)
Scarlett - Cathy Cassidy (Puffin)
Football Detective: Foul Play - Tom Palmer (Puffin)
The London Eye Mystery - Siobhan Dowd (David Fickling Books)
Kiss Of Death - Malcolm Rose (Usborne Publishing)
Why Eating Bogeys Is Good for You - Mitchell Symons (Doubleday)
Read Me and Laugh: A Funny Poem for Every Day of the Year - Gaby Morgan (Macmillan)
Picture Book Option for Pupils with Additional Needs:
The Adventures of Robin Hood - Marcia Williams (Walker Books)
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